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LETTERS h*.
Pointing a Way to Cure Problem
For quUo sonu' ;iim' speciul inipim.si.s im.v
been placed upon the suppased effects the
releasinR lo television of post-I94« pictures
would have upon the nations boxofflces General
consensus of opinion would seem to Indicate
such a move would be disastrous. We
agree, but the trouble U this: Independent
productions released so short a time ago as
1954. pyerhaps even later, are being shown
on televi.-iion. Why hasn't something been
done about It?
It may be that some of the Important
major companies realize that the selling of
newer product to television would tend to
take away more than it would give, but what
measures will the Independents assume? Because
independent producers have come into
prominence during the last few years, and
have reputedly turned out some of the top
pictures, what is to be done about this alarming
situation? The top pictures of today may
well be the top television fodder of two year.';
hence.
When exhibitors proclaim to their prospective
customers that "it wlU be years before
you see new movies on television." are
they going to wake up some day to find they
are liars? It Just could be.
While this writer does not know the true
connections between the independents and
the companies they release through, he can
at least say that the companies must have
some authority governing the releasing of
these productions: if they don't they are quite
stupid.
Let's take a look at one company. United
Artists, as an example—and they are Just
an example, nothing more. Some of the pictures
they were selling a couple of years ago
are being shown on television. Let's even
assume they had no control over this situation
Presently they have a line-up of socalled
blockbusters like never before. That's
fine. They'll go out and get anywhere from
35 per cent to 50 per cent for them, and they
shouldn't have trouble finding customers.
Now, isn't It going to look pretty damned
stupid. If in a couple of years these same picture.";
appear on television? If you think It
win. you can rest assured the public will
also think .so. Who is going to guarantee us
that this doesn't hapjjen? Answer: nobody.
Instead of praising the highly doubtful
advantages of .so many Independent producers
In this once great industry, let's look at the
unquestionable results which have occurred
since thi.s group has come to the fore: di
poRt-1948 motion picture presentations on
television; i2p perhaps the most severe decline
In motion picture attendance In the
history of the business: (3) an outrageous Influx
of cheap horror, science-fiction and sex
films that have literally forced adult customers
from the theatres, and have made
these .same theatres the most expensive sewage
disposal systems In the poorhouse.
Not aU independent producers have done
us harm: some have done us very well, indeed
But has Holl>'wood turned Itself over
to rank amateurism and fly-by-nlghteni.
when only keen professionalism will conquer
these difficult, trying time.s? We wonder, and
have good cause to wonder.
It Is high lime that some people with the
power iri do aomethlnR good take over and
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*.orw*.l Nomrs withheld on re